Table 1 Nursing personnel’s attitudes toward guidelines (range 1–4, with higher scores signifying more positive attitudes)
Attitudes towards guidelines | t1 n = 99-106* | t3 n = 107-110* | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean | SD §§ | Mean | SD §§ | |
General attitude toward guidelines | 3.43 | 0.537 | 3.40 | 0.527 |
 1. Guidelines are useful as educational tools. | 3.43 | 0.589 | 3.41 | 0.610 |
 2. Guidelines are a convenient source of advice. | 3.44 | 0.619 | 3.40 | 0.578 |
Usefulness of guidelines | 3.30 | 0.502 | 3.31 | 0.546 |
 3. Guidelines can facilitate communication with patients and families. | 3.12 | 0.658 | 3.20 | 0.677 |
 4. Guidelines can improve the quality of healthcare. | 3.46 | 0.574 | 3.40 | 0.610 |
Reliability of guidelines | 3.10 | 0.696 | 3.23 | 0.728 |
 5. Guidelines are based on scientific evidence. | 3.11 | 0.832 | 3.33 | 0.762 |
 6. Guidelines are made by experts. | 3.07 | 0.915 | 3.12 | 0.900 |
Lack of individual or team competence | 2.88 | 0.596 | 2.99 | 0.612 |
 7. My occupational competence is sufficient for adopting the latest guidelines. | 3.30 | 0.698 | 3.35 | 0.599 |
 8. Most of our team members have disapproving attitudes about guidelines.§ | 2.43 | 1.039 | 2.63 | 0.956 |
Lack of organisational competence | 3.01 | 0.601 | 3.15 | 0.614 |
 9. Guidelines are valued in our organisation. | 3.06 | 0.651 | 3.18 | 0.722 |
 10. Implementing guidelines is too expensive for us.§ | 2.96 | 0.803 | 3.12 | 0.832 |
Impracticality of guidelines** | 2.32 | 0.702 | 2.70 | 0.677 |
 11. Guidelines challenge the autonomy of nursing personnel.§ | 2.75 | 0.805 | 3.13 | 0.721 |
 12. Guidelines oversimplify nursing practice.§ | 1.89 | 0.795 | 2.26 | 0.886 |
Availability of guidelines*** | 3.15 | 0.643 | 3.42 | 0.540 |
 13. Guidelines are difficult to find if needed.§ | 2.69 | 0.841 | 3.00 | 0.828 |
 14. I have not seen any guidelines in our healthcare unit.§ | 3.62 | 0.791 | 3.83 | 0.448 |